Edmond h



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. H. GASGRAIN. APPARATUS FOR GASTING METALS.

Patented Mar. 12, 1895.

M BY Ill/m4 A TTOHNE Y8 WITNESSES.

THE cams PETERS co. PHOTO-MIND WASHKNGTON, a. c.

' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. H. OASGRAIN. APPARATUS FOR GASTINGMETALS.

No. 535,571. Patented M51 12; 1895.

INVE

WITNESSES.

A 770HNE Y 8.

' as perfect a casting as is desirable. To obviand useful Improvements in Casting Metals,

. NiTE A'rns EDMOND H. OASGRAIN,

or UEBEC, oANADA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,671, dated March 12, 1895.

Application fi d November 15, 1894.

To all whom it may concern-r Be it known that I, EDMOND I-I. CAscRAIN, of Quebec, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain newof which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for casting metals and more especially for casting aluminum. This metal, being very light, does not run from the crucible freely when melted, and being light it does not form ate this difficulty, I provide an improved apparatus for injecting air under pressure to the crucible above the molten aluminum, and'also for maintaining the air pressure in the flask while the metal is cooling and until it is cooled, thus forcing the metal to run freely from the crucible and to pack firmly in the flask so as tomake a perfect casting without wasting any metal.,

A further object of my invention is to produce an extremely cheap and simple apparatus. which is applicable to casting metals of all kinds and enables perfect castings to be made.

To these ends my invention consists in an apparatus for casting metals, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similiar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of theapparatus with the first cover in place, this cover being used to cover the crucible when the metal is melted; and Fig. 2 isa similar section, but with the first cover removed, the second cover in pbsition, and the valves arranged to turn on the ir supply to the crucible.

The apparatus is provided with a crucible 10 which may be of any suitable size and of any proper material, this crucible being open at the top and supported in a furnace 11, which is of fire brick or analogous material, and the furnace is mounted on a suitable support 12 which is in turn arranged upon abase 12 of any suitable character.

The furnace support 12 is open beneath the crucible so as to provide space for the flask 13 which may be made to contain any usual Serial No. 528,879. (No model.)

16 at the bottom of the crucible, or the flask maybe lowered to enable it to be conveniently removed.

The outlet nipple 16 is not provided with a plug when aluminum is being melted, as the vent is small and the aluminum being light, does not run from the vent, owing to exterior air pressure and the natural but slight incrustation in the vent. If, however, heav ier metal is being cast, the nipple 16 may be provided with the ordinary frangible plug, or a plug, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, may be used, which has a perforated diaphragm 16 to close the hole and a handle 16 by which it may be removed when the metal is to be allowed to flow out. i The perforated diaphragm is employed to remove the oxides from the metal in fusion, before the crucible is closed.

The crucible 1O depends from the top 17 of the furnace and the upper end of the crucible projects slightly above the top, as shown clearly, and when metal is being melted, the crucible is covered by a cover 18 which is also of fire brick or analogous material, and the cover has a suitable handle 19 and is concaved in the center, as shown at 20 and is provided with a top opening 21.

In the front wall of the furnace 11 is an opening 22 to receive the end of a blow pipe 22, which may be of any usual kind, having one inlet 23 for gas and another 24 for air, and this blow pipe is removable and is used to heat the furnace, being when used inserted in the hole 22 and lighted at its inner end.

The crucible has at its upper end an inlet 25 which is adapted to connect by means of a coupling 26 with an air pipe 27, this being mounted on suitable supports 28, and it is connected with an air pump 29 which, as shown, is an ordinary hand pump, as the apparatus illustrated is small and suitable for dental work, but the pump may be of any desired kind and it the apparatus is large and adapted for casting on alarge scale, a powerful machine pump may be used. The sup ply from the pump is controlled by a valve 30. The pump is not used for pumping directly into the crucible, but delivers through abranch pipe 31 into a reservoir 32. The object of the reservoir is to enable the air to be held under pressure so that the pump may be temporarily cut off and the air permitted to flow evenly from the reservoir tothe crucible.

The air pipe 27 is provided, at a point between the pipe 31 and the crucible, with a valve 33, the stem 34 of which is secured to a lever 35 which extends forward in frontof the furnace 11 andis provided at its free end with a handle 36. The lever 35 carries a cover 37 which is provided with an annular groove 37 to fit over the, top edge of the crucible, as shown clearly' in'Fig, 2, and the cover connects with the lever by a link 38 which permits the necessary movement of the lever and cover in'relation toeach other in order that thecover may be nicely adjusted, It'

will be seen thatby means of the lever the cover 37 may be held down 's'nugly'upon the crucible so as toresistthe air pressure within and cause the "saidjpressurejto be exerted efticiently upon'tlie molten nietal'toj'drive it from the crucible,andit w ill' al'so be observed that when the lever is depressed to bring the cover 37 int'o'the'positionjshown in 1+ ig. 2,it also acts on the stem 3e and valve 33 so asto open the valve and permitthefair to flow from the reservoir 32into the crucible, I

In using the apparatu s the metal to be melted isplaced in the crucible 10, the lever 35 raised, as shown in 1ifig. f1, in which 'position it ma be held in any convenient manner, and the valve 33 is thu'sclosed, WYhile the valve 33 is closed the opportunity may be embraced to open th e'valve 3O and fill the reservoir 32 by means of thepu'mp 29, and when the reservoir is filled the valve 30 is closed. The cove r18 is placed over the crucible, theblow pipe lightedso las to heat the crucible and melt the ni etaLafter which the flask 13 is adj ustcd beneath the crucible, the cover 18 removed and the lever 35 brought down so as 'to place the cover 37 overith'e crucible andopen the 'valve33. The cover may be held lirmlydown' by the lever,3 5,fand as the valve 33 is opened, mean from the reservoir 32 rushesinto'the crucibleland'force's the metal out through theoutlet ldand into the mold 13, and the pressure of air on the metal as it fills themold, causes it to pack snugly and make a firm, smoothcasting free from blow holes. I I I Having thus described my invention, I claim asnew and desire to sec'ureby Letters Patent I I II I,

1. An apparatus of the kind describe'd,comprising a crucible having a suitable outlet,'a

valve-controlled pipe leading from a source of air supply to the crucible, and a cover for said crucible operatively connected with the valve, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a crucible having a bottom outlet, an

vided with an'a'nnular groove to fit over the top edge o f'tl e crucible, an air reservoir, an inlet at thejsideofjsaid'crucible near its up per endpa'nda v alve contio ed P leading from the'reservoir and connected with the said inlet, substantially as described. I

4. An apparatus of thekind described, comprising. a I f uruace, 'a blow'lpip'e detachably con- ,necte'ditli'erewith, acr'iicible in the furnace havingfa bot'tom o utlegfa cover for the crucible,'a valve contr'olled'air pipe connectedwith a 'Q'urQ of a r supply n with th pr p o eb 'leib efa d leverc'e ry n w said cover anIl a rranged tQ operate the valve, sub- Sfantially I, III I I I '5, An apparatus of the kiuddescribed, comprising .a furnace, 'a crucible supported therein, an air pipeconn'ectIed with 'a 's ource of air supply an Withthe' crucible, a valve in said air'pipe a temporary cover for the crucible, a

seco n d cov e r for the crucible carried by a lever, and alconiiection between the said'lever an h va r Q 6W iathsei s bp y' w e crucible, subst'a'n'tiallyas described,

6. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a crucible having a bottom outlet, a

furnace encircling and supporting the crucible, 'a' cover for the cru c iblepanairpipe provided with a v w'e am' co n necting' the crueiblewi t-han air 'supply, means connected'with the coverjf'or operating the valve, and a vertically'adjust'able flask supported beneath the crucible, "substantially as described, I v 7. The cOmbinatiOnQW ifth the crucible havinga bottomoutlet, the air supply pipe connected with the crucible, andthe valve controlling m an pipe, of thelever secured to the valv e s teln, fand thecover pivoted on the leverand adapted to close over the crucible, substantially as described. 7

, EDMOND H. OASGRAIN. witnesse 1-1, G. CARROLL, WM. DOYLE. 

